Photographer
Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales
Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom’s Bay of Life Exhibition brings land and sea together for a unified view of Monterey Bay and its natural abundance.
The Bay of Life is a unique confluence of land and sea, energized by the sun, shaped by the forces of fog and fire, and influenced by the actions of people.
“We know of no other place in the world where land and sea connect
in such an extraordinary way.”
–Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom
Monterey Bay is the hottest hot spot for biodiversity in all of North America, according to The Nature Conservancy. It is a place of giants, from redwood forests on land to forests of kelp offshore. Monterey Bay supports iconic wildlife from secretive mountain lions to majestic blue whales. All survive in a region where far-flung migrants mix with rare local species that live nowhere else in the world.
This exhibition brings land and sea together for a unified view of Monterey Bay and its natural abundance. That richness is due to a unique mix of physical features and microclimates, shaped by the powerful influence of the ocean—and by the actions of people.
After the Gold Rush began, a great demand for natural resources stripped the land of trees and depleted the sea of marine mammals and fish. But that ecological collapse has been reversed in our time.
Bay of Life celebrates a remarkable recovery which shows that damaged ecosystems can be restored when people care and take action together. That may offer a model for other places at a time when we need such stories of hope as we face new challenges of resource stewardship, habitat connectivity, and impacts from climate change.
Bay of Life is sponsored by Bay Photo and Jeff and Marieke Rothschild, with additional support The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz, Fred and Jo Lynn Jones, Andrea London, Kristen Marinovic, Equinox Wealth Management, David Morrell, and Century 21 Real Estate Alliance.
Header Image: Humpback Whales, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, photo by Frans Lanting.
Meet the Artists
Writer, Editor & Videographer
Chris Eckstrom
Gallery
Steelhead Support, Scott Creek, photo by Frans Lanting.
Redwoods, Molino Creek, photo by Frans Lanting.
Clearing Storm, Santa Cruz Mountains, photo by Frans Lanting.
Wildfire, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, photo by Frans Lanting.
Breaking Wave, Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area, photo by Frans Lanting.
Elephant Seal, Año Nuevo State Park, photo by Frans Lanting.
With additional support from Jeff and Marieke Rothschild, The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz, Fred and Jo Lynn Jones, Andrea London, Kristen Marinovic, Equinox Wealth Management, David Morrell, and Century 21 Real Estate Alliance
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